Vacuum yarn feeding device



Filed April 14, 1959 INVENTOR. JOHN M. ASHE JOHN E. MALLOY I It iATTORNEY 2,944,414 VACUUM YARN FEEDING DEVICE John E. Malloy and John M.Ashe, both of 1215 W. Glenwood, Ave., Philadelphia, Pa.

Filed Apr. 14, 1959, Ser. No. 806,297 12 Claims. (Cl. 66-125) Thepresent invention relates to a vacuum yarn feeding device, and moreparticularly to a vacuum yarn feed ng device for knitting, weaving, andlike machines WhlCh regulates the tension of the yarn being fed to theneedles of the machine, and which controls the lint and fly from theyarn. This is a continuation-impart of our copending application SerialNo. 737,834, filed May 26, 1958, now abandoned, entitled Vacuum YarnFeeding Devlce.

A problem in the operation of a knitting, weaving, or like machine is inthe maintaining of a uniform tension on the yarn being fed to theneedles of the machine. Heretofore various mechanical devices have beenused for regulating the tension of the yarn as the yarn is removed fromits supply bobbin. However, such mechanical devices have not proved tobe entirely successful, and have many disadvantages. Such mechanicaldevices will not compensate for variations in the winding of the yarn onthe supply bobbins. Thus, if a supply bobbin has portions of the yarnwhich are more loosely wound on the bobbin than other portions of theyarn, the mechanical tensioning devices will not feed the more looselywound yarn at the same tension as the more tightly wound portions of theyarn. Furthermore, such mechanical devices will not compensate forsudden changes in the speed of the knitting machine which tend toincrease the tension on the yarn, and thereby break the yarn. Inaddition, in most knitting machines, a plurality of yarns aresimultaneously fed to the needles of the machine. Therefore, it isnecessary that each of the yarns be fed to the needles at the sametension. Since a separate mechanical tensioning device is required foreach of the yarns, it is a difficult task to regulate each of tensioningdevices so that each of the yarns is fed to the needles under the sametension.

Another problem in the operation of a knitting machine is in the controlof the lint or fly from the yarn. As the yarn is fed to the needles of aknitting machine, a large amount of lint is wiped ofi of the yarn, andfloats about in the air around the machine. Such lint tends to settle onthe various parts of the machine. If a sufficient amount of the lintaccumulates on the-machine, the lint can jam the moving parts of themachine, and thereby damage the machine. Also, where there are aplurality of knitting machines operating in the same room with onemachine using a yarn of one material, and another machine using a yarnof a difierent material, the lint from the yarns raises another problem.This problem is brought about when the lint of one material settles on amachine knitting a yarn of a different material, and the lint becomesknitted into the garment of a different material. It is Well'known thatwhen various materials are treated with the same dye, the materials maytake the dye differently so as to be different shades of the color ofthe dye. Thus, when a garment of one material having lint of anothermaterial knitted therein is dyed, the garment will not be of a uniformcolor.v

Still another problem in the operation of a knitting ma- States Patent Mfor the needles.

Patented July 12, 1960 chine is in the threading of the yarns to thefeed heads This is particularly a burdensome and time consuming taskwhen a plurality of yarns are being simultaneously knitted together on asingle machine.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel yarn feedingdevice.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a vacuum yarnfeeding device.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a vacuumyarn feeding device which regulates the tension of the yarn being fed.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a vacuum yarnfeeding device for a knitting machine which controls the lint or flyfrom the yarn and disposes, of the lint without contaminating either theknitting machine or the surroundings.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide avacuum yarn feedingdevice for a knitting machine which permits threadingof the machine quickly and easily. p I

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in thedrawings forms which are presently preferred; it being understood,however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangementsand instrumentalities shown.

Figure l is a sectional View, partly in elevation, of a yarn rack fora'circular knitting machine which includes the vacuum yarn feedingdevice of the presentvinventron.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the vacuum yarn feeding device of thepresent invention.

Figure3 is a sectional view, partly .in elevation, of a modification ofthe vacuum yarn feeding device of the present invention.

Referring initially to Figure l, the yarn rack comprises a circularplate 10 which is mounted above the knitting machine for rotation withthe feed heads for the needles of the knitting machine. A plurality ofthe vacuum yarn feeding devices of the present invention, each of whichis generally designated as 12, are mounted on the plate 10 at spacedpoints around the periphery of the plate 10.

Each of the vacuum yarn feeding devices 12 of the present inventioncomprises an enclosed casing 14 of a transparent material, such as aplastic. Casing 14 comprises a conical outer wall 16, a top wall 18, anda bottom Wall 20.v The outer wall 16 of casing 14 has an opening 22therein of a size to permit the insertion of a bobbin of yarn 24 intothe casing 14. A door 26 covers the opening 22 in the outer wall 16 ofeasing 14, and is secured to the outer wall 16 by hinges 28. The door 26is preferably larger than the opening 22 so that the door 26 overlapsthe outer wall 16 adjacent the edgesof the opening 22. Thus, when thedoor is closed, the door will engage the outer wall 16 completely aroundthe opening 22 to completely seal the opening 22. If desired, a gasketmay be secured to either the inner surface of the door 26 around theedges of the door 26, or to the outer surface of the wall 16 adjacentthe edges of the opening 22 to provide a tight seal between the door 26and the outer wall 16. Door 26 may be provided with a latch 30 to lockthe door 26 in its closed position. A holder 32 for the bobbin ofyarn 24is mounted on the bottom wall 20 of the casing 14. A feed tube,34extends through the top wall 18 of the casing 14, and is sealed to thetop wall 18. Feedtube 34 extends from the casng 14 to a feed head forthe needles of the knitting machine. Feed tube 34 is preferably of atransparent vmaterial, such as a plastic. An exhaust tube 36 extends '40to a vacuum pump 42. Pipe 38 is connected to pipe 40 through a suitablecoupling 44 which permits the pipe 38 to rotate with respect to the pipe40 upon rotation of the plate during the operation of the knittingmachine. I v

The operation of the vacuum yarn feeding device of the present inventionis as follows:

The bobbin of yarn 24 is inserted into the casing 14 through the opening22, and mounted on the bobbin holder 32. The filament of yarn 46 fromthe bobbin 24 is threaded through the feed tube 34 in the manner as willbe explained later. The door 26 is closed, and the vacuum pump 42 turnedon to draw a vacuum in the casing 14. The vacuum in the casing 14 drawsa stream of air through the feed tube 34 as indicated by the arrows 48.In the operation of the knitting machine, the filament of yarn 46 isdrawn from the bobbin '24 and passes through the feed tube 34 in thedirection opposite to the flow of air through the 'feed tube 34. As thestream of air flows over the filament of yarn 46 in the feed tube 34,the stream of air applies a frictional force to the filament of yarn 46which tends to draw the filament of yarn 46 back into the casing 14.Thus, the stream of air passing through the feed tube 34 causes thefilament of yarn 46 to be tensioned. The amount of tension applied tothe filament of yarn 46 depends on the speed of flow of the stream ofair through the feed tube 34. However, as long as the stream of airflows through the feed tube 34 at a uniform speed, the tension appliedto the filament of yarn 46 will remain constant. Since the tensionapplied to the filament of yarn 46 is dependent solely on the flow ofthe stream of air through the feed tube 34, variations in the winding ofthe bobbin of yarn 24 will not affect the tension of the filament ofyarn 46 within the feed tube 34. Also, sudden changes in the speed ofoperation of the knitting machine will likewise not affect the tensionof the filament of yarn 46 in the .feed tube 34 so that the filament ofyarn 46 willnot be broken by sudden changes in the speed of operation ofthe knitting machine. The stream of air passing through the feed tube 34also suspends the filament of yarn 46 in the center of the feed tube 34so that the filament of yarn 46 does not contact the Wall of the feedtube 34. Thus, there are no additional frictional forces applied to thefilament of yarn 46 which will affect the tension of the filament ofyarn 46.

The vacuum in the casing removes any loose lint from the filament ofyarn 46 as it is drawn from the bobbin 24, and pulls the loose lint tothe bottom wall 2i) of the casing 14. The loose lint will then be drawnfrom the casing 14 through the exhaust tube 36. If desired, the pipe 40may be provided with a filter for collecting the loose lint from thevacuum yarn feeding devices 12. Thus, by the time that the filament ofyarn 46 reaches the needles of the knitting machine, substantially allof the loose lint has been removed from the filament of yarn 46 so thatthere will be little, if any, loose lint left on the filament of yarn 46which can contaminate the knitting machine or the surroundings aroundthe knitting machine.

To thread the filament of yarn 46 through the feed tube 34 to theknitting needles, the door 26 is closed, and the vacuum pump 42 turnedon to draw a vacuum in the casing 14 and pull a stream of air throughthe feed tube 34. The end of a separate length of thread, or a filamentof yarn, is held at the free end of the feed tube '34. The stream ofairpassing into the feed tube 34 will draw the end of the thread orfilament through the feed tube 34, and into the casing 14. The door 26is then opened, and the end of the thread is tied to the end of thefilament of yarn 46. By pulling the thread back through the feed tube'34, the filament of yarn- 46 is threaded through the feed tube 34 tothe knitting needles. Thus, the filament of yarn 46 is threaded throughthe feed "tube 34 easily and quickly.

Referring to Figure 3, a modification of the vacuum yarn feeding deviceof the present invention is generally designated as 50.

The vacuum yarn feeding device 56 comprises a mounting plate 52 which ismounted above the knitting machine for rotation with the feed heads forthe needles of the knitting machine. A plurality of yarn bobbin holders54 are mounted on the plate 52 at spaced points around the periphery ofthe plate 52. Ahood 56 of a transparent material, such as a plastic, ismounted on the plate 52, and covers the bobbin holders 54. Hood 56comprises a conical outer wall 58, and a top wall '66. The outer wall 58of hood 56 is secured to the plate 52 so as to provide an air-tight sealbetween the outer Wall 58 and the plate 52. The outer wall 58 of hood 56has a plurality of openings 62 therethrough. Each of the openings 62 ispositioned adjacent a bobbin holder 54, and is large enough to permit abobbin of yarn 64 to be inserted into the hood 56 through the opening 62and seated on a bobbin holder 54. A separate door 66 extends across eachof the openings 62 in the outer Wall 53 of hood 56, and is hingedlysecured to the outer wall 53. The doors 66 are larger than the openings62 so that the doors 66 overlap the outer wall 58 of hood 56 adjacentthe edges of the openings 62. Each of the doors 66 may be provided witha latch 68 to lock the doors 66 in their closed position.

A plurality of feed tubes "70 are mounted within the hood 56. Each ofthe feed tubes 70 is adjacent a separate bobbin holder 54, and has aU-shaped top portion 72 which extends over the bobbin of yarn 64 mountedon the bobbin holder 54. Feed tubes 70 extend downwardly through theplate 52 to the feed heads for the needles of the knitting machine. Feedtubes 70 are preferably made of a transparent material, such as aplastic.

An exhaust tube 74 is secured to the top wall 60 of hood 56, and is incommunication with the interior of the hood 56 through a hole 76 in thetop wall 60. Exhaust tube 74 is connected through pipe 78 to a vacuumpump 80. Exhaust tube 74 is connected to the pipe 78 through a suitableconnection 82 which permits the exhaust tube 74 to rotate with respectto the pipe 78.

In the operation of the vacuum yarn feeding device 50, the filament ofyarn 84 from each of the bobbins of yarn 64 is threaded through theadjacent feed tube 76 to a feed head for the needles of the knittingmachine. With the doors 66 closed, the vacuum pump is turned on to drawa vacuum in the hood 56. This causes a stream of air to flow througheach of the feed tubes 7i? to apply a tension to the filaments of yarn84. The vacuum in the hood 56 also removes the loose lint from thefilaments of yarn 84 to prevent the knitting machine and thesurroundings around the knitting machine from. being contaminated by thelint from the filaments of yarn 84.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and,accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, ratherthan to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of theinvention.

We claim:

1. A yarn feeding device comprising an enclosed casing, means in saidcasing for holding a bobbin of yarn, a yarn feed tube extending fromsaid casing, and means for applying a suction to said casing.

2. A yarn feeding device in accordance with claim 1 in which said casinghas an opening therein, and a door extending across said opening andhingedly secured to said casing.

3. A yarn feeding device according to claim 1 in which said casing hasat least a portion thereof made of a transparent material.

4. A yarn feeding device in accordance With claim 1 in which one end ofthe feed tube is above the bobbin holder.

5. A yarn feeding device in accordance with claim '1 openingsand'hingedly secured to said casing. a

7. A yarn feeding device comprising an enclosed casing having asubstantially cylindrical outer wall, a top wall, and a bottom wall, aholder for a bobbin of yarn within said casing and mounted on saidbottom wall, a I

yarn feed tube extending from said. casing, and means for applying asuction to said casing.

8. A yarn -feeding device in accordance with claim 7 in which the outerwall of the casing has an opening therein, and a door extending acrosssaid opening and hingedly secured to said outer wall.

9. A yarn feeding device in accordance with claim 7 in which at leastthe outer wall and top wall of the casing is made of a transparentmaterial.

10. A yarn feeding device in accordance with claim 7 in which one end ofthe feed tube is above the bobbin holder. 7

11.- A yarn feeding device in accordance with claim 7- including aplurality of bobbin holders in said casing, and a separate yarn feedtube adjacent each of said bobbin holders.

12. A yarn feeding device in accordance with claim 11 in which the outerWall of the casing has a plurality of openings therein, each of saidopenings being adjacent a separate bobbin holder, and a separate doorextending across each of said openings and hingedly secured to saidouter wall. 4

References Cited in the file of this'patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,046,822 Madden Dec. 10, 1912 2,108,404 Janssen Feb. 15, 1938 2,357,716Ballamy et al. Sept. 5, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,070,264 France Feb. 17,1954

